Mariners Top Rangers 4-2 In 10 Innings

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A.J. Pierzynski of the Texas Rangers looks on as Kyle Seager of the Seattle Mariners hits a two-run home run in the 10th inning at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on July 3, 2013 in Arlington, Texas. (credit: Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON (AP) – Derek Holland and Robbie Ross were just a couple of pitches away. It just didn’t work out.

Holland gave up the tying hit in the sixth inning after putting Mike Zunino in an 0-2 hole, and Ross surrendered a walk in the same situation to set up Kyle Seager’s two-run homer in the 10th inning of the Mariners’ 4-2 victory against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.

“I thought the sixth inning was the turning point,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We needed Derek to get that shutdown and he put himself in trouble but he worked out of it. He just didn’t execute a pitch against Zunino.”

David Murphy and Ian Kinsler homered in the fifth inning against Felix Hernandez, giving Texas a 2-1 lead. The leadoff shot by Murphy ended a four-game streak without a homer for the Rangers, their longest in more than two years.

It also was the first homer for Murphy since June 9, and his first RBI since June 11.

Kinsler, who spent nearly a month on the disabled list with a rib fracture, sent the 11th pitch of his at-bat against Hernandez a few rows deep in left field for his first homer since May 8.

“They’re pretty tough,” Hernandez said. “Those two homers, I just fell behind against Murphy … and Kinsler put in a great at-bat. I just missed my location and he hit it out of the ballpark.”

The Mariners pulled even with a run in the sixth, ending Holland’s night with a 37-pitch inning that included three straight full counts.

The last of the three full counts came against Zunino, who battled back for a tying infield single on a hopper that Adrian Beltre couldn’t handle behind the bag at third.

Raul Ibanez and Kendrys Morales opened the inning with singles, and Justin Smoak walked with one out, also after falling behind 0-2. Dustin Ackley struck out on a full count before Zunino’s hit brought home Ibanez.

“It was frustrating on my part,” Holland said. “I was 0-2 and I let that get away from me. That’s upsetting to me. I had him put away and I let him get away.”

Seager was mired in a 1-for-19 skid coming into the series, but he has five hits in the first two games against the Rangers, who dropped to 30-14 at home against Seattle since 2009. The third baseman is a .361 hitter with four homers and 11 RBIs in 20 career games at Texas.

After falling behind 0-2 against Ross (4-2), Michael Saunders walked on a full-count pitch with two out before Seager connected for his third hit of the game. Seager’s 12th homer landed in the first row of seats in right field.

“I knew I hit it pretty good, but it didn’t really get too high for me,” Seager said. “I was hoping. Let’s put it that way.”

Charlie Furbush (2-4) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings for the win, and Tom Wilhelmsen was perfect in the 10th for his 17th save in 22 chances.

The Mariners last won two straight in Texas on May 29-30, 2012, when they took the last two of a three-game series. Seattle will go for its first sweep in Texas since 2002 on Thursday night.

“It’s always good to win within your division,” manager Eric Wedge said. “It’s always better to do that on the road within your division. The guys have done a nice job the last couple of nights.”

Texas center fielder Leonys Martin went 0 for 4 to end the longest active hitting streak in the majors at 15 games.

The Rangers fell to 0-3 in extra innings at home and were held to two runs for the second straight game a few hours after announcing they had agreed to a minor league deal with 41-year-old slugger Manny Ramirez, acknowledging their need for a right-handed power bat.

“I think my offense last night got shut down by (Joe) Saunders,” Washington said. “I think today it was pitching again. There’s nothing wrong with my offense. We’ll just continue to battle and see where it goes.”

Holland, making his first outing since a two-hit shutout in a 2-0 win at Yankee Stadium, gave up a leadoff home run to Jason Bay on the fourth pitch of the game.

The Mariners had runners at first and third with no outs in the second after singles by Seager and Smoak, but Holland got a shallow fly ball from Ackley that forced Seager to hold up after going a third of the way down the line. Holland then struck out Zunino and got Brad Miller on a fly ball to center.

Holland struck out 10 and had seven hits and two walks on his line.

Hernandez gave up four extra-base hits, matching the Texas total from its previous four games combined. Besides the homers from Murphy and Kinsler, Nelson Cruz doubled with two outs in the first and Beltre had a leadoff double that was followed by three straight outs in the sixth.

Elvis Andrus grounded into an inning-ending double play with two on in the seventh to wrap up the night for Hernandez, who gave up seven hits and struck out seven in his third straight no-decision.